Urban Planner: March 21, 2012

On this fine spring day in Toronto: fly away to the National Ballet of Canada's newest piece, The Seagull, stop by a poetry reading with some Italian authors, get the two hour version of The Bible in a play called The Big Picture, laugh through the evening with three improv troupes at the Switch Off, and there's lots to see and do at night one of Canadian Music Week.

Sonia Rodriguez and Zdenek Konvalina in The Seagull. Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann.

BALLET: Most people wouldn’t immediately associate a seagull with beauty, but The National Ballet of Canada may alter your opinion of the breed with its newest piece, John Neumeier’s adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s play, titled The Seagull. It’s a story about the nature of love. The show will run from tonight until Sunday. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts (145 Queen Street West), 7:30 p.m., $25–$234.

LITERATURE: Enjoy the spring weather with an evening of prose and poetry courtesy of The (Not So) Nice Italian Girls and Friends. The group was originally formed in 2009 to promote the work of Italo-Canadian writers. Tonight’s lineup features readings by Rosemary Aubert, Allan Briesmaster, Paul Carlucci, Cornelia Hoogland, Giovanna Riccio, and José Sigouin. Annex Live (296 Brunswick Avenue), 7:30 p.m., FREE.

THEATRE: A play that’s been billed as “The Bible in Two Hours” will be on stage in Toronto for four nights this week. Created by Dennis Hassell, The Big Picture is about God’s relationship to humankind as told in the tales of the Christian Bible. The play stars Jason Hildebrand alongside Andrea Cross, Nate Gerber, Richard Munton, and Arthur Wachnik, in what the Toronto Star billed as “a theatrical rocket ride.” The Walmer Centre Theatre (188 Lowther Avenue), 8 p.m., $16.50–$21.50.

FESTIVAL: Bands, and films, and comedians—oh my! Canadian Music Week is upon us again, filling our evenings from March 21 to 25 with acts from across the world. Check out our full coverage of the festival with daily picks, nightly reviews, band profiles, and other magical tidbits we pick up, and make the most of it.

Urban Planner is Torontoist‘s guide to what’s on in Toronto, published every weekday morning, and in a weekend edition Friday afternoons. If you have an event you’d like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you’ve got any—to events@torontoist.com.